(c) cooperation in the field of media and audio-visual documentation;
(d) organizing cultural events and exchanges.
Article 16. Development Cooperation
1. The Community recognizes India's need for development assistance and is prepared to strengthen its cooperation and enhance its efficiency in order to contribute to India's own efforts in achieving sustainable economic development and social progress of its people through concrete projects and programmes. Community support will be in accordance with Community policies, regulations and limits of the financial means available for cooperation and be in accordance with an elaborated development strategy.
2. Projects and programmes will be targeted towards the poorer sections of the population. Particular attention will be given to rural development with participation of the groups to be targeted and, where appropriate, the involvement of qualified non-governmental organizations. Cooperation in this area will also cover the promotion of employment in rural towns, and of the role of women in development, with appropriate emphasis on their education and family welfare.
3. Public health, especially in the form of primary health care including control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases will also be covered. The aim will be to increase the quality of health care in India of the most disadvantaged sections of the population both in urban and in rural areas.
4. The cooperation will concentrate on mutually agreed priorities and will pursue project and programme efficiency, sustainability and respect for the environment.
Article 17. Environment
1. The Contracting Parties recognize the need to take account of environmental protection as an integral part of economic and development cooperation. Moreover, they underline the importance of environmental issues and their will to establish cooperation in protecting and improving the environment with particular emphasis on water, soil and air pollution, erosion, deforestation and sustainable management of natural resources, taking into account the work done in international fora.
Particular attention will be paid to:
(a) the sustainable management of forest eco-systems;
(b) protection and conservation of natural forests;
(c) the strengthening of forestry institutes;
(d) the finding of practical solutions to rural energy problems;
(e) prevention of industrial pollution;
(f) protection of the urban environment.
2. Cooperation in this area will centre on:
(a) reinforcing and improving environmental protection institutions;
(b) developing legislation and upgrading standards;
(c) research, training and information;
(d) executing studies and pilot programmes and providing technical assistance.
Article 18. Human Resource Development
The Contracting Parties recognize the importance of human resource development in improving economic development and the living conditions of the disadvantaged sections of the population. They agree that human resource development should constitute an integral part of both economic and development cooperation.
In their mutual interest, particular attention should be paid to promoting cooperation between Community and Indian higher education and training institutes.
Article 19. Drug Abuse Control
1. The Contracting Parties affirm their resolve, in conformity with their respective competences, to increase the efficiency of policies and measures, to counter the supply and distribution of narcotics and psychotropic substances as well as preventing and reducing drug abuse, taking into account work done in this connection by international bodies.
2. Cooperation between the Parties shall comprise the following:
(a) training, education, health promotion and rehabilitation of addicts, including projects for the reintegration of addicts into work and social environments;
(b) measures to encourage alternative economic opportunities;
(c) technical, financial and administrative assistance in the monitoring of precursors trade, prevention, treatment and reduction of drug abuse;
(d) exchange of all relevant information, including that relating to money laundering.
Article 20. South-south and Regional Cooperation
The Contracting Parties recognize their mutual interest in furthering economic and trade relations with other developing countries within a concept of regional and south-south cooperation.
Article 21. Resources for Undertaking Cooperation
The Contracting Parties will, within the limits of their available financial means and within the framework of their respective procedures and instruments, make available funds to facilitate the achievement of the aims set out in this Agreement especially as concerns economic cooperation.
Concerning development aid, and within the framework of its programme in favour of Asian and Latin American (ALA) countries, the Community will support India's development programmes, through direct concessional transfers, as well as through institutional and other sources of finance in accordance with the rules and practices of such Community institutions.
Article 22. Joint Commission
1. The Contracting Parties agree to retain the Joint Commission set up under Article 10 of the 1981 Agreement for Commercial and Economic Cooperation.
2. The Joint Commission is in particular required to:
(a) ensure the proper functioning and implementation of the Agreement;
(b) make suitable recommendations for promoting the objectives of the Agreement;
(c) establish priorities in relation to the aims of the Agreement;
(d) examine ways and means of enhancing the partnership and development cooperation in the areas covered by the Agreement.
The Joint Commission shall be composed of representatives of both sides, at an appropriately high level. The Joint Commission shall normally meet every year, alternately in Brussels and New Delhi, on a date fixed by mutual agreement. Extraordinary meetings may be convened by agreement between the Contracting Parties.
The Joint Commission may set up specialized sub-groups to assist in the performance of its tasks and to coordinate the formulation and implementation of projects and programmes within the framework of the Agreement.
The agenda for meetings of the Joint Commission shall be determined by agreement between the Contracting Parties.
The Contracting Parties agree that it shall also be the task of the Joint Commission to ensure the proper functioning of any sectoral agreements concluded or which may be concluded between the Community and India.
Article 23. Consultations
The Contracting Parties shall hold friendly consultations in the fields covered by the Agreement if any problem arises in the intervals between the meetings of the Joint Commission. These shall be dealt with by the specialized sub-groups according to their responsibilities or be the subject of ad hoc consultations.
Article 24. Future Developments
1. The Contracting Parties may, by mutual consent, expand this Agreement in order to enhance the level of cooperation and add to it by means of agreements on specific sectors or activities.
2. Within the framework of this Agreement, either of the Contracting Parties may put forward suggestions for expanding the scope of the cooperation, taking into account the experience gained in its application.
Article 25. Other Agreements
Without prejudice to the relevant provisions of the Treaties establishing the European Communities, neither this Agreement nor any action taken thereunder shall in any way affect the powers of the Member States of the Communities to undertake bilateral activities with India in the framework of economic cooperation or to conclude, where appropriate, new economic cooperation agreements with India.
Article 26. Facilities
To facilitate cooperation within the framework of this Agreement, the Indian authorities will grant to Community officials and experts the guarantees and facilities necessary for the performance of their functions. The detailed provisions will be set out by way of a separate Exchange of Letters.
Article 27. Territorial Application
This Agreement shall apply, on the one hand, to the territories in which the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community is applied and under the conditions laid down in the Treaty and, on the other, to the territory of the Republic of India.
Article 28. Annex
The Annex attached to this Agreement shall form an integral part of the Agreement.
Article 29. Entry Into Force and Renewal
This Agreement shall enter into force on the first day of the month following the date on which the Contracting Parties have notified each other of the completion of the procedures necessary for this purpose. Upon entry into force, it shall replace the Cooperation Agreements signed on 17 December 1973 and 23 June 1981.
This Agreement is concluded for a period of five years. It shall be automatically renewed on a yearly basis unless one of the Contracting Parties denounces it six months before its expiry date.
Article 30. Authentic Texts
This Agreement is drawn up in duplicate in the Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish and Hindi languages, each text being equally authentic.
Conclusion
In witness whereof the undersigned Plenipotentiaries have signed this Agreement.
Done at Brussels on the twentieth day of December in the year one thousand nine hundred and ninety-three.
For the Council of the European Union
For the Government of India